Monitoring Poverty & Social Exclusion

This week has seen the 10th anniversary of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's annual Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion report. The 2008 edition is slightly different from previous versions, in that it analyses trends in this area for the whole of the last decade. The conclusions are mixed: good progress is reported in increasing the number of homes which meet government standards, and there has been a steep reduction in the number of low income homes without a bank account. However, other issues such as the number of pensioners claiming their full benefit entitlement, or addressing the number of under-16 pregnancies, have shown little or no progress, or the situation has even worsened.

You can read the full text of Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 2008 online. A supporting website, with figures, further analysis and links to other relevant sites can be accessed by clicking here.